Cooling apparatus



Oct. 17, 1933. E. F. HULBERT COOLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 3, 1932 EQ2/JbPatented Oct. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,930,808 oooLiNo- ArrAnATUs EdwinF. `Hulbert, Glen View, lll., assigner to Petrolagar Laboratories,incorporated, Niles Center, lill., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 3, 1932.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved cooling apparatus of a typeparticularly adapted for cooling fluids. l

It is an object of this invention to provide a cooling apparatus whichwill serve to cool fluids, such as for instance, liquids, at arelatively rapid rate, and with a high degree or efficiency and economy,and further, to provide a cooling apparatus adapted for use with acooling medium of 10 any suitable character such as for example, wateror any other desired medium. v

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cooling apparatusprovided with relatively large cooling surfaces of material having highheat conductivity and between which is provided a relatively thin spacefor the substance being cooled and through which the substance beingcooled may be passed continuously at a relatively rapid rate, and withonly a relatively small volume of the substance being cooled containedtherein at any one time.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cooling apparatusin which the two cooling surfaces move relative to each other and whic'exerts a positive forcing pressure on the substance being cooled wherebythe substance is positively fedthrough the cooling apparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cooling apparatus,the cooling surfaces of which are always maintained free and clear ofthe substance being cooled whereby it is admirably adapted for coolingvarious substances such as emulsions which tend to thicken or congealwhen cooled.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a cooling apparatusof cylindrical formation having an inner rotating drum mounted in astationary cylinder with a space therebetween for accommodating thesubstance to be cooled and in connection with which the inner drumrotates in a manner to exert a positive feeding force on the substancebeing cooled and -to operate Scrapers which Ythoroughly cleanse thecooling surfaces.

These and other objects not specifically enumerated are contemplated forthis invention as will readily appear to one skilled in the art as thefollowing description proceeds.

The particular example of the invention hereinafter described maybebetter understood by referring to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of a cooling apparatus constructedin accordance with this in- Serial No. 641,032

(Cl.v 257-111) vention, shown partly in cross section for disclosing theinterior construction thereof, and

Figure 2 is a plan cross sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figurel;

By referring to the rdrawing it will be noted that this invention isillustrated as embodied in a cooling apparatus comprising an outercylindrical member 1l) which is closed at the top by a plate 1l and atthe bottom by a plate l2. The wall of the cylindrical member l0 ishollow to 65 provide an internal space 13 for accommodating a coolingmedium. The space 13 is interrupted by a partition and strengthening webll which is arrange in spiral formation so thatthe internal space 13will also be of spiral formation. cooling medium employed enters at thetop through pipe 15, which connects with pipe 16, controlled by valve 17whereby the cooling medium,which may be water, air or any other desiredfluid, enters directly through the outer wall the cylindrical member l0into the top portion of the spiral cavity 13. After-passing through thespiral cavity 13 the cooling medium is then discharged through pipe 18,controlled by Valve 19, into pipe 20.

Thetop and bottom plates 11 and 12 are provided with bearing openings 21and 22 respectively which bearing openings are located to a slightdegree eccentrically with respect to the cylindrical member 10. Top andbottom plates 11 and 12 are secured and sealed by a suitable means notshown, to the cylindrical member 10 so that the closed cylinder formedthereby will be tightly sealed against leakage of the fluid substancepassing therethrough for cooling.

Internally of the cylindrical member 10 is an inner rotating drum 23,which is provided with double side walls forming the coolingl mediumspace 24. Here again, a spiral partition and strengthening web 25 isprovided so as to form a 95 spiral passage in the space 24 for thecooling medium. Communicating with the upperportion of the spiralpassage is a duct 26 which is formed in the upper wall 27 of the innercylindrical drum which duct passes upwardly as at 28 100 through the hubor shaft 29 provided centrally of the upper Wall 27. The dischargedcooling medium passes through a discharge duct 30 formed in; the bottomwall 31 of the inner cylindrical drum which duct passes downwardly as at32 105 ,through the hub or shaft 33 provided centrally of the lower wall31. The upper and lower shafts 29 and 33 are mounted respectively inbearings 21 and 22 previously referred to and each is sealed againstleakage by means of a gland 34 and pack- 110 can ist

mg whereby the inner drum may be rotated without leakage of iiuidpassing through the interior thereof.

From an inspection of Figure 2, it will be noted that at spacedintervals, on the surface of the inner drum, radially extendingguideways 36 are provided in which blades 37 are mounted. These bladesextend the iull height of the drum and are pressed outwardly by means ofsprings 38 so that their outer edges always contact the inner surface ofthe outer cylindrical member 10.

The cooling medium for the inner drum is supplied through ducts 28 and39` the latter of which is in communication with a collar 40 rotatablymounted on shaft 29 and provided with an internal annular groove 41 incommunication with duct 39. Annular groove 4l of collar 40 alsocommunicates with pipe 42 and pipe 16 and thence to a source of supplyof the cooling medium. The discharge from the inner drum, after passingthrough duct 32 passes into the opening 43 and collar 44 which collarhas a rotary iit on the end of the shaft 33. From thence, it passes topipe 45 on to the discharge pipe 20. Inlet pipe 42 and outlet pipe 45are controlled by valves 46 and 47 respectively. It is to be understoodthat collars 40 and 44 are provided with suitable packing whereby a iuidmedium may be continuously passed into and out of the inner drum withoutleakage while permitting rotation of the drum. The drum may be rotatedfrom a source of power, not shown, such as by a worm in mesh with theworm gear 48, mounted on the upper end of the shaft 29.

From an inspection of Figure 2 it will be noted that the iiuid to becooled is fed into the apparatus at the bottom thereof through pipewhich is in communication with the opening 51 provided in the bottomplate 12. Opening 51 leads upwardly and communicates with the spacebetween the cylinder member 1G and the inner drum 23 at a Ypoint in thecircumference substantially as represented in the drawing. The dischargeis at the top through pipe 52 which communicates with the channel 54which leads in to the top of the space between the cylindrical vmemberin the drum at a point in thecircumference substantially as representedin the drawing. In other words, it will be noted that the arrangement ofthe inner rotating drum with its sliding vanes and the position of theinlet and outlet openings is similar to a rotary pump having aneccentrically mounted rotor with sliding vanes Wherefore the rotation ofthe drum will exert a positive feeding force on the substance beingcooled and thereby cause it to pass rapidly through the lcoolingapparatus.

It will be further noted that this construction provides a relativelynarrow space 55 between the inner surface of the outer cylinder memberand the outer surface of the inner drum which space is crescent shapeand extends throughout the entire height of the apparatus; that thespace is surrounded by cooling walls of metal vor other substance ofhigh heat conductivity and that spirally arranged passages are providedin the walls of the inner drum and outer cylinder for the continuouspassage of the cooling medium therethrough. As the substance to becooled passes from the bottom upwardly, and the cooling medium passesfrom the top'downwardly, a very efficient cooling action is providedwith the progressive but rapid removal of heat from the substance beingcooled. The eccentricity oi the axis ofthe inner drum with respect tothe outer cylinder is such that the Walls thereof come into substantialcontact as at 56 so that no material can accumulate on the surface ofthe inner drum, Likewise, by the action of the sliding vanes whichcontinuously scrape the inner surface of the outer cylindrical member,these walls are kept clean at all times. This fact makes for greaterefliciency in that ace cumulations of the material on the walls isprevented such as would tend to insulate the walls and interfere withthe conduction of heat to the cooling medium.

The apparatus is further subject to very accurate control because anydesired cooling medium may be selected and the rate of flow of themedium to the walls of the cylinder and drum may be selected as desired.Furthermore, passage of the `medium being cooled through the coolingapparatus may be determined by the speed of rotation of the drumwherefore a very accurate and positive control is provided. As abovepointed out the passage or the medium being cooled through the cooler ispositive in character wherefore it must enter and leave in a definitetime interval which provides very accurate timing for contact with thecooling surfaces.

The apparatus of this invention is obviously adapted for cooling allsorts and types of fluids either gaseous or liquid and has particularusefulness in connection with coolingliquid substances such as milk, orthe like. By way of illustration, this Ycooler is being nowvsuccessfully used with excellent results in connection with thepreparation of emulsions composed of mineral oil and a suspension oiagar-agar in water, in which practice the temperature of the emulsion islowered from approximately 120 degrees F. to substantially 60 or'ZOdegrees F. in a period of less than one minute, with artesian welland Y" chilled water, as the cooling medium. In this practiceffour unitsof the type here disclosed are placed in series and the rotation of thedrums so timed as to cause 'the passage of the emulsion through all fourunits in a period of Yless than one minute. Artesian well lwater is usedin the rst two units and chilled water in the second two units.

It is to be noted that a relatively large cooling surface is providedwhereby the substance be- Y ing cooled is presented in the form of arelatively thin massin contact with cooling surfaces on both sides andyet the apparatus is free'from clogging due to the scraping action andthe positive feeding of the substance through the apl paratus.

In the preparation of the emulsion above referred to there is a decidedtendency for the emulsion to thicken or congeal at the lowertemperature, particularly on the chilling surfaces,

Vbut with the present apparatus, no dihculty on this account is metwith, due to the continuous scraping and cleaning action provided.

It will be noted from the foregoing that this invention provides a newand improved cooling apparatus which embodies all of the objectsspeciied therefor. The above disclosure is given merely by way ofillustration and should not be considered as limiting the invention inany respect as the scope of this invention is set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A cooling apparatus comprising a closed cylinder and al drum in saidcylinder mounted eccentrically thereto, said cylinder and drum ICU beingadapted for relative rotary movement and to provide therebetween arelatively narrow crescent shaped cooling chamber, the walls of saidcylinder and drum having internal spirally arranged cavities foraccommodating a cooling medium.

2. A cooling apparatus comprising a closed cylinder and a drum in saidcylinder mounted eccentrically thereto, said cylinder and drum beingadapted for relative rotary movement and to provide therebetween arelatively narrow crescent shaped cooling chamber, the walls of saidcylinder and drum having internal spirally arranged cavities foraccommodating a cooling medium flowing in one direction and inlets andoutlets to said cooling chamber for the ilow of a substance to be cooledin a counter direction.

3. A cooling apparatus comprising a closed stationary cylinder, a drumin said cylinder rotatably mounted eccentrically thereto providing acrescent shaped cooling chamber between said cylinder and drum, cavitiesfor cooling medium in the walls of said cylinder and drum, and movablevanes mounted on the surface of said drum for sliding contact againstthe inner surface of said cylinder said cooling chamber having inletsand outlets disposed respectively adjacent the opposite ends of saidcrescent chamber.

4. A cooling apparatus comprising a closed stationary cylinder, a drumin said cylinder rotatably mounted eccentrically thereto providing acrescent shaped cooling chamber between said cylinder and drum, cavitiesfor cooling medium in the walls of said cylinder and drum, and movablevanes mounted on the surface of said drum for sliding contact againstthe inner surface of said cylinder, said cooling chamber having inletsand outlets disposed respectively adjacent the opposite ends of saidcrescent chamber and respectively at the top and bottom of saidapparatus.

5. A cooling apparatus comprising a closed stationary cylinder, a drumin said cylinder rotatably mounted eccentrically thereto providing acrescent shaped cooling chamber between said cylinder and drum, spiralcavities in the walls of said cylinder and drum for accommodating acooling medium for iiow in one direction, movable vanes mounted on saiddrum for sliding contact against the inner surface of said cylinder, andinlets and outlets for said cooling chamber disposed respectivelyadjacent the opposite ends of said crescent chamber.

6. A cooling apparatus comprising a closed stationary cylinder; a drumin said cylinder rotatably mounted eccentrically thereto providing acrescent shaped cooling chamber between said cylinder and drum, spiralcavities in the walls of said cylinder and drum for accommodating acooling medium for iiow in one direction, movable vanes mounted on saiddrum for sliding contact against the inner surface of said cylinder, andinlets and outlets for said cooling chamber disposed respectivelyadjacent the opposite ends of said crescent chamber and respectively atthe top and bottom of said apparatus for iiow of substance to be cooledin direction opposed to the flow of saidA cooling medium.

EDWIN F. HULBERT.

